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BRANDY, RAY J, & MOM: The Norwoods Take on Reading, Writing, Reality
Sonja Norwood's looking for writer for her book. Interested? Read on.
However, whether or not her protective and demanding antics were fact or fiction, Sonja Norwood has developed, encouraged, and raised two of the biggest names in urban music – Brandy and Ray J. In addition, she has launched and managed an independent record label among the male-dominated major powerhouse labels (with the help of her star offspring). Sounds like the perfect author of a “How To” series, don’t it?
“I think that there are a lot of things that I have experienced and I’d like to share information with people,” Sonja said of her idea to write a book. “If I can help people to avoid certain things that I’ve been through or that we’ve been through as a family, I’d like to be able to share. Like getting your kids in the business early, how to keep your kids grounded, definitely for artists that are trying to do an independent label – the struggles and the journeys that you go through, and not knowing what those steps are and what you could do differently, and just various things that would be able to help people.”
Ms. Norwood hasn’t really focused on the subject matter. She says that her expertise as a manager, as a label executive, and as a mother, and combinations of the three, would all make fine topics for her book (or books for that matter), but at the moment, she’s looking for someone to center her thoughts.
“I can’t mix mother advice with the industry, so I sort of need someone to help me figure out what’s the most important message for me to get out first,” she told EUR’s Lee Bailey. “I’ve been putting bits and pieces together. I’ve categorized certain things, like when I talk about being a mother. And then I’ve got another folder where I’ve put things as a manager. I need someone to help me sort through it and say, ‘What is the most important message that you want to share?’ What that is, I don’t’ really know yet.”
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Sonja Norwood
(Are you an interested writer? Scroll to the bottom of this story for contact info.)
The music exec did mention that her most toiling work has not been managing major singing careers or shielding her children from bad press, but rather running an independent label.
“I think that has been my biggest challenge and not knowing everything that goes into that; understanding that you’re really out there by yourself. You’re in a whole different arena and some people respect that and some people don’t. I just think that going through that, I’ve learned a lot, but I’m glad that I’ve done it, I appreciate the success we’ve had with it, and I would like to continue it. But maybe there are some things that I have done or I have learned with Ray J’s project that I could share with somebody else about being an independent label.”
But there are other perspectives to that, too, she says. “Of course there are a lot of books out there about the music industry,” she continued, “and everybody’s take on the music industry. And of course I have my own take, but there are certain things that you experience differently than what everybody else experiences. I think that more women should get in the business; I think more women are capable of being in the business. But what are the problems that we go through as a female in the business that are not just like what is said about females being in any other job in a male-dominated business. Maybe I have something to share there.”
So perhaps she’s a little bit puzzled about what topic to conquer in her book, but one thing Sonja Norwood does know is that anyone she works with on the project has to be someone passionate, accurate, and someone she can trust.
“Unless I am totally out of the industry and my kids are out of the industry, there are certain things [I] still won’t speak on. I’m not a writer, so I need someone to help me write it and look inside of the situation and gather their own thoughts and extract information from me,” she said, “Someone that can get to know me and my family and what we’re all about.”
Interestingly enough, as she makes plans to put her experiences on paper, Sonja Norwood is preparing to retire. She’s already begun her countdown to mid-2007.
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Ray J & Brandy
Meanwhile, the eldest of the brood, Brandy, is back on TV. The actress singer is not just appearing in “Moesha” repeats. She is one of the judges on a new talent reality series. And in the Norwood modus operandi, that’s not the only thing she’s working on. Brandy is also heading back into the studio, as a matter of fact, to begin work on her new project. On tiop of all that she's said to be under consideration to replace Star Jones on "The View."
Thanks to impressive comments during her guest-judge stint on “American Idol,” Brandy has an upcoming gig on the Simon Cowell- produced “America’s Got Talent,” where she will be the judge. She, along with TV icon David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan (Cowell’s best friend) will give a thumbs up or down to wannabe stars (a la “The Gong Show”) Wednesday nights on NBC. Regis Philbin hosts.
“It’s the wildest talent show I’ve ever seen,” said the self- professed reality TV fan. “I’m a huge fan of ‘American Idol,’ ‘America’s Next Top Model,’ ‘Making of the Band,’ so to be a part of this and see it live every week and be able to give advice on talent… or judge talent – I’m really excited about it.”
The show, which airs tonight and every Wednesday at 9 (Eastern & Pacific / 8 (Central), differs from Cowell’s “American Idol” in the fact that it is open to any age and any talent.
“It’s not just a singing competition,” Brandy explained. “It’s comedians, it’s jugglers, dancers, groups, and rappin’ grandmas. It’s like, whatever talent you have and you think you can win a million dollars, bring it on. That’s what the show is pretty much about.”
In the meantime, she has a television show in development, but says she not moving forward with that yet.
“I’m really tied down with the [reality] show right now and I’m starting the new album next week,” she said and mentioned that for this project she’s reuniting with super-producer Rodney Jerkins. “I’m excited to be back on television – in a different light. And I’m glad to be back with Rodney.”
Not to be outdone, Ray J is making his mark with KnockOut Entertainment – the label the family established. The rapper/singer is all grown up and has become a businessman. Don’t think that this means he’ll be behind the scenes, though. The artist intends to continue working in front of the mic and in front of the camera.
Ray J doesn’t stop for long. With his sitcom “One On One” fading off the lineup and a short tour ending, he’s already heading to Europe to do a month’s worth of shows and is making big plans for KnockOut to K.O. the competition.
“I’ve just had spot dates. I never really got the opportunity to really do a major tour yet. I’m looking forward to that as an artist and as a businessman. I’m looking forward to that on all the new projects that I’m working on right now. ’BET.com Countdown’ and ‘One On One’ are slowly coming to a close. So, now I’m branching out into independent DVDs, Raydiation Live.” He continued, “[With] KnockOut Entertainment, we’ve got Ray J, Shorty Mac. Brandy is partnered up and doing some things. [She] is really helping us out. It’s fun to have her on the team as one of the investors, as one of the partners, as one of the artists. She’s one of the creators and visionaries for the K.O.”
It’s quite mature of the young star to move on so quickly after news that some of his current projects have come to an end.
“It was fun,” he said of his recent TV work. “But when you put your heart into a lot of projects, you don’t know what’s going to happen, but I did put my heart into ‘One on One,’ and for it not to come back was heartbreaking. That’s why it’s dangerous to put your emotions into things. Besides ‘Moesha,’ that was one of my favorite projects.”
One breath later, he excitedly shared another hot project he’s about to drop. An underground remix with some of the biggest rap names and some of the up-and-comings from his KnockOut roster.
“I’ve got a new underground remix with Snoop, Nate Dogg, Slim Thug, and Shorty Mac, called ‘Smokin’ Trees.’ It’s a celebration song for the summer time. It’s going to be a real banger for the streets,” he said.
Clearly the Norwoods have a lot to celebrate.
For more on what’s up with Brandy’s new show, go to www.nbc.com/Americas_Got_Talent/.
For the latest on Ray J, click www.RayJ.com.
Interested writers, contact Sonja Norwood at KnockOut Entertainment: (TheNorwoodGroup@aol.com or call 818-716-7047).
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